Singapore (VNA) - Vietnam is a respectable,trustworthy, and constructive member of ASEAN, Frederick Kliem, an analyst withthe Centre for Multilateralism Studies at the Singaporean-based S. RajaratnamSchool of International Studies (RSIS), said in an interview with the VietnamNews Agency, during which he emphasised that the country is now an integralpart of the bloc after 25 years of membership.

Despite not being among ASEAN’s founding members, Vietnamis progressing quickly in the region and plays an important role in connectingthe five founding member states of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,Singapore, and Thailand with CLM countries (Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar).

Vietnam has an active and leading role in the ASEANpolitical-security community, he said, particularly in regional and maritimesecurity.

Frederick emphasised that he was impressed byVietnam’s results in controlling COVID-19, saying it did the best job among theASEAN members.

He also noted that as Chair of ASEAN this year,Vietnam has held hundreds of online meetings at different levels and is doing wellin difficult times.

At a special meeting on COVID-19 in April, Vietnam’s proposalswere agreed upon by the member countries, the analyst went on, adding that itcan play a leadership role whenever necessary and share its experience in successfullycontrolling the disease.

He predicted that the country would face challenges inthe second half of the year, given the developments of the pandemic remainslargely unknown, including how to interact with ASEAN member countries andother partners via online conferences; how the bloc and Vietnam as chair willrespond to a second, third, or even fourth wave of COVID-19; and how ASEAN willcontinue pursuing free trade and multilateralism amid the current financialcrisis./.